This interview with longtime PCPL customer DJ Serrano was conducted by Talya A., Kirk-Bear Canyon Library.
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I was born in Spring 1953 at the Addison Gilbert Hospital on the island portion of Gloucester, Massachusetts, a tiny city composed of tiny villages of different cultural groups.
From ages 2 to 20, I was reared in a tiny, uninsulated, summer cottage without amenities such as central heating, an indoor bathroom, or plumbing for hot water. A beautiful cast iron stove occupied much of the rectangular kitchen, which we used for cooking, heating water and for the comfort of having a central heat source. The cottage was situated in coastal woodland environs, on a hill above the salt, tidal, estuary named “Little River”. The Forsythia bushes growing just to the west of our outhouse were the largest to be found on Cape Ann.
In April, we were evicted from this dwelling my paternal grandfather had created, for failure to pay back taxes, not long after my father’s prolonged and arduous death from metastatic cancer the previous November. My mother had become increasingly crippled from arthritis and gastrointestinal-intestinal issues. I was trying to complete my B.of S. in Social Work degree at Salem State College, working all and any jobs I could obtain, including 6:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. shifts at a raw fish packing plant down on the wharves.
As the reader can imagine, so many stories branch off before and after this existential juncture of my early adult life.
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How long have you been visiting the library and what first brought you here?
In 1976, I made the decision to travel across country in an un-air-conditioned VW Bug with Bonnie, a woman from the adjacent town of Rockport, with a goal of driving from Massachusetts to San Diego, to start lives anew. We were in our early twenties.
I had had the opportunity earlier that summer to participate in a 2 month College European Seminar to travel through the U.S.S.R. and through many of the European countries to its west.
I was barely home for a week before Bonnie & I took off with limited luggage - as well as finances. We ran out of conversation somewhere in Texas. Much of our drive then occurred in silence.
On October 14,1976, Bonnie and I were driving on the freeway, south of downtown Tucson, when I saw a sign indicating that the exit for the Main Library would soon be coming up. Exiting the VW Bug, I entered the library’s main doors, seeking out the reference desk to research what would be my next Step. The reference librarian with whom I spoke told me that the local YWCA at 738 North Fifth Avenue rented rooms for $10.00/night. I had $60.00 & a small bag.
I walked. Arriving footsore at the YWCA, I paid the ten dollars to secure a room for that night.
How often do you visit and what usually brings you in?
I reside 4 miles to the NE of the Kirk-Bear Canyon Library. I reserve a great many, usually newly ordered, books. I stop by many days of a week.
What is your favorite section or resource the library offers?
There are so many resources as well as specific programs of which a patron can avail themselves! I regularly enjoy looking at the library website to learn which new books have been ordered and the Suggest a Purchase page where I can suggest newly published books for staff to consider purchasing. The Seed Library and the Interlibrary Loan Program are also wonderful resources.
I have also used the computers, printers and, when available, the COVID-19 Test Kits. I have also appreciated the Art Gallery Wall.
Can you share a memorable experience you've had here?
Through my residency in Tucson, I have availed myself of library resources at Joel D. Valdez Main, Himmel Park, Murphy-Wilmot, and Kirk-Bear Canyon libraries. The professionalism and efforts of help have been consistent.
How has the library made a difference in your life?
The library and its vast resources remain an essential element of my daily routine. I utilize the website to research various subjects. When in the library, I have consistently experienced the depth of knowledge and the problem-solving ability of staff members. This is especially noteworthy when held against the staff shortages and budgetary challenges.
Have you participated in any library programs or events? Which one stood out?
I greatly enjoyed the Writing Workshop held at Kirk-Bear Canyon Library.
Has a staff member ever made your visits especially memorable?
There is an extensive list of library staff who remain memorable throughout my fifty years of my patronage. To name some would inevitability result in neglecting to name others.
How have you seen the library change over the years?
A significant change has been the organizational structural change from a city-managed system to a Pima County system. In addition to the expansion of branch locations, many of the structures have been renovated and the system, modernized. There has been an increased focus on technological services as well as community engagement.
What would you tell someone who's never before visited a public library?
I frequently tell individuals I know and new Tucsonans with whom I come in contact about the library resources, including the Culture Pass program, the annual Southwest Books of the Year publication, Storytime, the Seed Library, the online resources as well as interesting books I’ve just enjoyed.
What do you hope to see the library offer in the future?
I would appreciate more workshop on writing, geneaology, and AI literacy at Kirk-Bear Canyon Library. I would also enjoy more programs focused on local Tucson history, especially that of NE Tucson and Pima County areas. Given the aging of the population, it would be great if we could have presentations on legal advice and resource sharing.
What is the best book or item you've discovered here?
Three Books which have echoed through my decades are: Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Emil Frankl and Narcissus and Goldmund & The Glass Bead Game by Hermann Karl Hesse.
Anything else you'd like to share?
I encourage people to consider joining The Friends of the Bear Canyon Library.
